April 6
1800s 1900s *1903 - Gordon (Mickey) Cochrane is born in Bridgewater, Massachusetts. Cochrane will make his major league debut in 1925, when he bats .331 for the Philadelphia Athletics. A standout defensive catcher, Cochrane will bat .320 over a 13-year career. He will gain Hall of Fame honors in 1947. 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s *1971 - Willie Mays of the San Francisco Giants hits a home run on Opening Day, marking the start of an historic streak. Mays will hit home runs in each of the Giants’ first four games, setting a major league record. *1972 - The first general strike in the history of the major leagues officially begins with the cancellation of Opening Day games in both leagues. The strike will be settled seven days later when the players and owners come to agreement on pension fund payments. The two sides agree not to make up the 86 missed games. *1973: **The Pittsburgh Pirates retire Roberto Clemente’s uniform No. 21 in a moving pre-game ceremony before 51,695 fans at Three Rivers Stadium. The 38-year-old Clemente died in a plane crash on New Year's Eve, 1972. **At Fenway Park, Ron Blomberg of the New York Yankees becomes the first designated hitter in major league history. In his first plate appearance, Blomberg walks with the bases loaded off Luis Tiant. He will end up with one hit in three at-bats as the Yankees lose to the Boston Red Sox, 15–5. *1977 - For the second time in nine years, a new franchise makes its major league debut in Seattle, Washington. The Mariners lose their first regular-season game at Kingdome to Frank Tanana and the Angels, 7–0. 1980s *1982: **The largest crowd ever to see a baseball game in Minnesota, 52,279, turns out for the inaugural game at the brand-new Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome. Twins rookie Gary Gaetti has four hits, including a pair of home runs, but the visiting Seattle Mariners wins, 11–7. **A freak heavy spring snow storm brings subfreezing temperatures across the northeast and midwest and causes the postponement of home openers for the Yankees, Tigers, White Sox, Brewers, Indians, Phillies and Pirates. *1989 - The consecutive scoreless innings streak of Los Angeles Dodgers ace Orel Hershiser comes to an end. Hershiser gives up a run in the first inning of a loss to the Cincinnati Reds, ending his scoreless innings streak at 59. 1990s *1992 - The Baltimore Orioles play the first game in Oriole Park at Camden Yards history. The capacity crowd of 44,568 includes US President George Bush. Baltimore defeat the Cleveland Indians, 2–0, behind the five-hit pitching of Rick Sutcliffe *1996 - Chan Ho Park of the Los Angeles Dodgers becomes the first pitcher born in Korea to win a major league game. Park throws six shutout innings of relief to earn the decision in a 3–1 win over the Chicago Cubs. *1998 - Former All-Star pitcher John Wyatt dies from a heart attack in Omaha, Nebraska, at the age of 63. After starring in the Negro Leagues, Wyatt embarked on a nine-year career in the American League, where he saved 103 games. In perhaps his most memorable appearance, he won Game Six of the 1967 World Series for the Boston Red Sox. 2000s *2001: **In Opening Day at Veterans Stadium, Hall of Fame pitcher Jim Bunning's number 14 jersey is retired. Bunning, who compiled a 224-184 in his 17-year career pitching for the Detroit Tigers, Philadelphia Phillies, Pittsburgh Pirates and Los Angeles Dodgers, joins Richie Ashburn (1), Robin Roberts (36), Steve Carlton (32) and Mike Schmidt (20), as the fifth player to have his number retired by the Phillies. **The Milwaukee Brewers, after a disappointing 0-4 start on the road, get into the winner's circle in front of US President George W. Bush, as they beat the Cincinnati Reds 5–4, in the first game played at Miller Park. Cincinnati’s Sean Casey hits the park's first home run, but Richie Sexson's home run in the eighth inning breaks a 4-4 deadlock giving Milwaukee its first victory. *2004: **In an on-line poll in which nearly 8,000 fans participated, Still We Believe: The Boston Red Sox Movie http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0403893/ is selected as the title of a documentary about 2003 season. Other choices offered by the team and Boston Globe web sites included This Is the Year, The Ecstasy and the Agony and Always the Bridesmaid in addition to fan’s wry suggestion of I Know What You Did Last Summer, I Wish I Didn't Know What You Did Last Fall. **Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman Adrián Beltré becomes the 36th player in major league history to hit 100 home runs before the age of 25. *2005 - At Citizens Bank Park, Brad Wilkerson of the Washington Nationals hits for the cycle in the franchise's first victory since moving to Washington D.C., 7–3 against the Philadelphia Phillies. Wilkerson also becomes the twentieth player in MLB to hit for the cycle twice. *2006 - Jimmy Rollins went 0 for 4, snapping a 38-game hitting-streak that stretched over two seasons, and the Philadelphia Phillies lost 4–2 to the St. Louis Cardinals at Citizens Bank Park. Rollins' 38-game streak ranks as the eighth-longest in major league baseball history. Births *1863 - Dick Johnston, outfielder (d. 1934) *1886 - Smokey Joe Williams, Hall of Fame Negro League pitcher (d. 1951) *1890 - Red Smith, infielder (d. 1966) *1903 - Mickey Cochrane, Hall of Fame catcher and manager (d. 1962) *1908 - Ernie Lombardi, Hall of Fame catcher (d. 1977) *1929 - Don Elston, All-Star pitcher (d. 1995) *1937 - Phil Regan, player and manager *1943 - Marty Pattin, All-Star pitcher *1951 - Bert Blyleven, All-Star pitcher *1964 - Kenny Williams, player and executive *1967 - Tommy Greene, pitcher *1969 - Bret Boone, All-Star infielder *1971 - Lou Merloni, infielder *1977 - Andy Phillips, infielder *1978 - Blaine Neal, pitcher Deaths *1909 - Doggie Miller, player and manager (b. 1864) *1979 - Al Evans, catcher (b. 1916) *1984 - Glenn Wright, infielder (b. 1901) *1994 - Goody Rosen, All-Star outfielder (b. 1912) *1998 - John Wyatt, All-Star pitcher (b. 1935) *2000 - Don Johnson, All-Star infielder (b. 1911) *2002 - Tom Sunkel, pitcher (b. 1912) *2004 - Lou Berberet, catcher (b. 1929) *2004 - Ken Johnson, pitcher (b. 1923)